Machine for scouring eggs.



E. M. & W. W. BOIES.

MACHINE FOR SGOURING EGGS.

APPLIOATIOK rum) JULY 3 Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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M. t w. W. 3013s. MAUHINE FOE SGOURING EGGS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31907. Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

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I E. M. & W. w. 3013s. MACHINE FOR SGOURING EGGS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 3, 1907.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

EDWARD M. BOIES AND WILLIAM W. BOIES, OF YARMOUTH, IOWA.

MACHINE FOR SCOURING EGGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application filed. July 3, 1907. Serial No. 382,050.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD M. Bows and WiLLiAM V. Bones, of Yarmouth,in the county of Des Moincs and State of Iowa, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Machines for Scouring Eggs; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in cleaning apparatus and moreparticularly to a machine for washing and scouring eggs, an object ofthe invention being to provide a machine by means of which a largenumber of eggs can be thoroughly washed in a short time and theliability of breakage re duced to a minimum.

A further object is to so construct the machine that the eggs can bescoured simultaneously on diametrically opposite sides and so that theeggs will be automatically turned to present new faces to the action ofthe brushes.

A further object is to so construct the machine that the tray whichholds the eggs can be adjusted relatively to the brushes above and belowthe same.

A further object is to construct the machine in suclrmanner that theupper scouring brush can be adjusted vertically to regulate and controlthe pressure thereof upon the eggs.

A further object is to provide a machine of the character specified,with instrumentalities whereby the machine can be made to operate upon alarge number of eggs with little liability of breaking them, and whichwill facilitate the ready handling of the eggs in placing them intothemachine and removing them therefrom.

A further object is to construct an egg washing machine in such mannerthat it can be operated manually or so that it can be operated by meansof a suitable motor.

With these objects in view the invention consists of a machinecomprising a frame, brushes mounted to reciprocate therein, means forholding eggs between said brushes, and means for reciprocating thebrushes.

1 The invention further consists in various novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation with the tankshown in longitudinal section and the lower brush depressed; Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view with the lower brush elevated. Fig. 3 is abottom plan view of the lower brush; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of theupper brush; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the egg-holding tray; Fig.6 is a perspective view of the drying tray, and Fig. 7 is a horizontalsectional view of the framework.

1 represents a tank constructed of any suitable material, in which ourimproved machine is located and adapted to be operated. This tank iselevated by means of suitable supports 2 so' as to provide space underit for the reception of a suitable heater 8 for heating water containedin the tank, and the latter is provided with a suitable discharge cock4, by means of which the water can be withdrawn after a number of traysof eggs have been washed.

As above stated, the machine is located within the tank 1 and the frameof said ma chine comprises a series of corner-posts or uprights 5, theupper ends of which are connected by side-bars 6 and end-bars 7, 8. Thelower ends of the uprights 5 are connected, at the ends of the frameworkby cross-bars 9 and at each side of the frame, plates 10 are secured attheir ends to the uprights 5 at the base of the latter.

Clips 11 are secured to the upper-sidebars 6 of the frame and throughthese clips, the upper threaded ends of rods 12 pass, the lower ends ofsaid rods being swiveled to clips 13 secured to bars l-i whichconstitute a holder or support for a tray 15 hereinafter more fullydescribed. Each rod 12 is provided with an angular portion 16 for thereception of a wrench for turning it to ad just the tray-holder orsupport vertically.

Brushes 17 and 18 are located respectively above and below thetray-supports 14. The back 19 of the upper brush 17 is braced andprevented from warping by means of longitudinally disposed rods 20. Aseries of bars 21 secured upon the back of the upper brush 17, projectbeyond the side edges of said brush and are made with shoulders 22mounted in slotted bars 23 at respective sides of the framework so thatwhen the brush 17 is reciprocated the shouldered ends of the bars 21will slide on the bars 23. The cornerposts or uprights 5 are providedwith vertical elongated slots 24 for the reception of bolts 25 by meansof which blocks 26 are adj ustably secured to said posts or uprights andserve to support the slide-bars 23. The latter are connected at one endof the machine by means of a cross-rod 27 which passes over the upperbrush 17. The brush 17 is provided at one end with a handle 28 by meansof which said brush can be raised, and when thus raised the slide-bars23 will also be elevated and the whole sustained in an elevated positionby means of a support 29 attached to end cross-bar 8 of the framework.This will permit the placing of a tray 15 containing the eggs within themachine. To facilitate the insertion of the tray 15, inclined angle-ironguides 30 are secured to the rear uprights 5 and serve to guide saidtray onto the traysupporting bars 14. When the tray shall have beenfully inserted its forward end will be engaged by lips 31 at.the forwardends of the bars 14 to prevent vertical displacement of the tray at theforward end of the machine and at the opposite end of the machinevertical displacement of the tray will be prevented by means of athumb-lever 32.

The bristles of the lower brush 18 project upwardly toward the egg-trayand to the back of this brush, axles 33 are secured and provided attheir ends with wheels 34 which run on track-ways 35 and 36 secured tothe plates 10, at the sides of the framework. The lower track 35 ishorizontal throughout a portion of its length and another portion isinclined as indicated at 37. Each upper track 36 is made with a pivotedforward portion 38, the free end of which normally terminates at or nearthe upper end of the inclined portion 37 of the lower track. From thisconstruction it will be seen that when the wheels 34 of the brush 18 areupon the horizontal portion of the lower tracks, the brush will notengage eggs in the tray 15. As the wheels of the lower brush ride up theinclined portions 37 of the track-ways they will engage the hingedportions 38, raise the latter and then pass the same, permitting saidhinged track-sections 38 to drop and form (with the track-sections 3G)continuous horizontal upper-track-ways. lVhen the wheels 34 shall havearrived at the top of the inclined track-sections, the brush 17 will bein position to engage the under sides of the eggs in tray 15. When thebrush 18 moves back on the track-way 3638, it will brush the bottomfaces of the eggs and when it completes this movement the wheels 34 willrun off of the upper-trackway and be guided onto the lower track-way bycurved track sections 39. In order to prevent the hinged track-sections38 from being thrown up too far, guards 40 are secured at the upperedges of the plates 10, one of said guards being-secured to a projection41 on plate 10 and the other to corner-post 5.

The faces of the brushes are made corrugated by properly cutting theends of the bristles, as shown at 42 and 43, Fig. 2, so as to morereadily adapt them for cleaning the curved surfaces of the eggs.

Bars 44 are secured to corner-posts 5 at the ends of end-bar 7 andconverge to form a support for a pivoted operating lever 45. Thissupport is braced by means of bars 46 which extend therefrom to thelower corners of the framework. A rod or pitman 47 connects the lowerend of the operating lever 45 with one end of the lower brush 18.Another rod or pitman 48 connects the lower end of the operating lever45 with the upper brush 17. Vith this construction the two brushes willbe moved simultaneously in the same direction when the operating leveris oscillated, but if desired the brushes may be reciprocatedsimultaneously in reverse direction by connecting the pitman 48 of theupper brush at one or another of the points 49 above the pivotal supportof the operating lever and by connecting the pitman 47 of the lowerbrushes at one of the perforations 47 below the pivotal support of theoperating levers. The connection of the pitman 47 of the lower brushwith the operating lever will be at such point on the latter, that whensaid lever is operated, the lower brush will not be moved off of theupper trackway, but the two brushes will be reciprocated in reversedirections always in the same horizontal planes. Then the machine isthus operated, the turning of the eggs will be efiected by the reversemovements of the brushes relatively to each other. The lever 45 may beprovided at its upper end with a socket 50 for the reception of asuitable handle 51. If desired however, the lever 45 may be operated bypower; in which case a pitman 52 may be connected at one end with thelever 45 and at the other end with a wheel 53, the latter being drivenby means of any suitable motor.

In order to counteract the buoyant effect of the water on the lowerbrush 18, the latter is provided with a weight 54, as shown in Fig. 3.

The tank 1 is approximately the same in width as the machine but ispreferably from two and a half to three feet longer than the machine,and the latter will be secured centrally within the tank by suitablemeans, such as ropes or hooks.

The egg-tray 15, hereinbefore referred to, comprises a rectangular frame55, to the end bars of which wires 56 are secured and disposed in aplane below that of the frame to receive and support the eggs. \Vires57, also secured to the end bars of the frame and disposed in a planecoincident therewith and above that of the wires 56, serve to hold theeggs in place on the wires 56. A series of transverse, corrugated wires58 cotiperate mg tray or rack.

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with the wires 55 and 56 to divide the tray into numerous compartmentsfor the and serve to assist in holding them in proper position whilebeing acted upon by the brushes in the machine. The tray 15 is providedwith a handle or pull 59 to facilitate the placing of the tray into themachine and its removal therefrom.

Vhen the machine has been placed in the tank and the water heated untilit has become tepid or lukewarm, a tray filled with will be inserted inthe manner hereinbefore described and the upper brush, which had beenraised for this purpose, will be permitted to assume its normaloperative position, as shown in Fig. 1. The operator will now manipulatethe lever 45 and this will result in moving the two brushessimultaneously in the same direction, one over the eggs and the otherunder them. During the first portion of the forward movement of thebrushes the upper brush will scour the upper surfaces of the eggs andalso cause said eggs to turn in their bearings in the tray, the lowerbrush being, during this movement, out of reach of the eggs. Vhen thelower brush 18 shall have been raised during its forward throw it willcome in contact with the under faces of the eggs and during the returnmovement of the two brushes (the lower brush running on the uppertrack-ways 36-38) they will scour the respective faces of the eggswithout causing the latter to turn,-the turning of the eggs beingeffected only when the upper brush is moving forward and the lower brushis on the track-way 85with its bristles out of reach of the eggs. WVhenthe eggs shall have been thoroughly cleaned the upper brush 17 will beraised, as already explained, and the tray of eggs will be removed afterhaving moved them in the water to rinse them. After the tray of eggsshall have been removed and placed on a suitable table or support, adrying tray 60 will be placed over the same and the two trays will thenbe reversed so as to deposit the eggs in the dry- This tray or rack iscovered with absorbent cloth and provided with a series of wooden slats61 corresponding in number with the rows of eggs. To preventdisplacement of the trays 15 and 60 the latter is provided with pins 62.The tray or rack 60 is provided at its edges with strips or flanges 63which serve to prevent the escape of the eggs and also permit the traysto be piled one upon another.

With the use of our improved machine one man can wash from 40 to 50cases of eggs per day and with an equal amount of labor, not more thanfive cases could be cleaned. e have found that the breakage of eggs,when washed with our machine, will not be over one-half of one per cent.as against from two to three per cent. when washed by hand.

Having fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is,

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aframe, of a brush movable therein, and a normally stationary eggholdermounted in said machine in position to retain the egg in position to beengaged by said brush.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame,two brushes movable therein, one above the other and a normallystationary egg holder supported in said frame between the brushes.

In a machine of the character described, the combination with a tank, ofa frame therein, a brush movable in said frame, and a normallystationary egg holder mounted in said frame in position to hold the eggssubmerged and to subject them to the action of the brushes.

4. In amachine of the character described, the combination with a tank,of a frame mounted therein, two reciprocating brushes mounted in saidframe, one above the other, and a normally stationary egg holder mounted in the frame in position to hold the eggs submerged and subject tothe action of said brushes.

In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame,of two brushes mounted therein, one above the other, means forreciprocating both brushes simultaneously in the same direction, and anormally stationary egg holder supported by said frame between thebrushes.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with meansfor holding a number of articles to be cleaned, of upper and lowerbrushes, means for moving said brushes simultaneously in contact withopposite faces of the articles to be cleaned, and means for removing oneof said brushes out of reach of the articles to be cleaned during aportion of its travel.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with meansfor supporting a number of articles to be cleaned, of a reciprocatingbrush over said supporting means, a reciprocating brush under saidsupporting means, means for reciprocating said brushes, and meansoperating automatically to raise and lower the lower brush.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aframework, and supports vertically adjustable in said framework, aremovable tray to be sustained by said adjustable supports, of brushesabove and below the said supports, and means for reciprocatin saidbrushes in contact with a reciprocating brush mounted in the frame, workover the tray supports, means for permitting vertical movement andadjustment of said brush, and means for reciprocating the brush.

10. In a machine of the character described, thecombination withframework, a removable tray for articles to be cleaned, and supports inthe framework for said tray, of a reciprocating brush mounted in theframe work over the tray support, a reciprocating brush below the traysupport, wheels carried by said last mentioned brush, track-ways forsaid wheels disposed in different horizontal planes, the lowertrack-ways having inclined portions and the upper track-ways havinghinged portions terminating in proximity to the upper ends of theinclined portions of the lower track-ways, whereby the lower brush willbe made to contact with articles in the tray when said brush is moved inone direction and permitted to drop and move out of reach of thearticles in the tray when moving in the other direction.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination withframework, a removable tray and supports in the framework for said tray,of guideways to direct the tray to its supports in the framework, meansfor preventing displacement of the tray on its supports, reciprocatingbrushes above and below the tray supports and means for reciprocatingsaid brushes.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aframework, of reciprocating brushes mounted therein, a tray providedwith open-work supports for eggs, means in the framework for supportingsaid tray between the brushes, means for permitting theinsertion andremoval of the tray and its contents and means for reciprocating thebrushes.

13. In apparatus for cleaning eggs, the combination with a tank, ofreciprocating brushes therein, an open work tray, means for supportingsaid tray and its contents between the brushes, means for reciprocatingthe brushes, means for permitting the insertion and removal of said trayand its contents, and a drying rack adapted to cooperate with said trayto receive the eggs therefrom when said rack shall have been removedfrom the machine.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD M. BOIES. WILLIAM WV. BOIES.

Witnesses G. A. THOMPSON, D. A. DONNER.

